After more than six months of testing, the wide-range, wireless disc group delivers strong shifting and braking performance—and offers options galore

When SRAM launched Red eTap—its wireless electronic-shifting road group—in August 2015, it was a race-focused offering with mechanical rim brakes and a short-cage rear derailleur. While every story needs a beginning, it was surprising to see SRAM leave out two technologies it had helped popularize: wide-range gearing and hydraulic disc brakes. The omission was even more curious considering that drop-bar bikes have been moving away from racing and strict pavement use in favor of being more capable on unpaved roads and trails. (Find your next adventure in our book The Cyclist's Bucket List!)

The latest version of eTap fills these holes. SRAM’s top-of-the-line drop-bar group now includes hydraulic disc brakes and wide-range gearing, increasing its versatility and appeal, and making it more relevant to today’s rider.

At its core, this group is still Red eTap, so there’s little difference in shifting performance between eTap HRD and eTap for rim brakes.

Shifting is reliable, secure—solid engagement, no skipping, no dropped chains—and, most of the time (but not always), smooth. I love the shift paddles, which are equally accessible from the hoods and the drops. The weight and length of the throw, the volume and feel of the “click,” and eTap’s foolproof shifting pattern all make changing gears equal parts pleasurable and seamless.

My biggest complaint is shift speed. SRAM representatives say the lightest 1190 Red cassette was intentionally designed to offer extremely secure and reliable shifting—the chain will always wait for a machined shift ramp (on a lower-end PG cassette with stamped cogs, the chain will shift off of basically any tooth). Because of that, it shifts slower. When paired with SRAM’s less-expensive (and much heavier) PG-1170 cassette—or a Shimano or Campy cassette—eTap does shift a bit faster, but it’s still not as quick as Shimano’s Di2 and Campagnolo’s EPS electronic shifting. I don’t think eTap’s slower shifting will cost anyone a race win or Strava KOM, but I do believe a top-of-the-line, race-bred, electronic group should shift extremely fast. And eTap doesn’t.

Braking performance from the hydraulic discs is very good. The initial bite is gentle, and the power builds intuitively to lock-up. Lever throw is weighted well, very smooth, and the blades feel snappy. However, the brakes do make some odd gobbling and howling noises, especially when wet.

The shift/brake-lever bodies for eTap HRD are different than those on the rim-brake version of eTap, and while their size, shape, and curves are not the ergonomic masterpiece that the rim-brake bodies are, they are comfortable and well shaped. The hood covers are sticky enough for a secure grip in the wet and soft enough to provide a bit of cushion. They’re not squishy, but they do twist a bit when I’m out of the saddle, climbing, and pulling hard on the bar.

The brake-lever/shifter-paddle reach is easily customizable, and the brake lever’s dead throw (distance it travels before it moves the pads) is adjustable as well. I can set the group up exactly the way I like.

Mitch Mandel

SRAM’s wireless drivetrain has fewer things stuffed inside the frame—no batteries, wires, connections—to potentially rattle and slap. Because of this, along with eTap’s rattle-free shift/brake levers and smooth-running chain, cogs, and chainrings, the group (when set up and tuned properly) runs smoothly and quietly, with little noise or vibration invading the serenity of the ride. I love quiet bikes, and my bikes are quietest with eTap.

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Options Galore

There’s more to eTap than performance: The most compelling reason to choose this group may be the bigger range of options.

Shimano and Campagnolo offer only flat-mount disc calipers in their high-end groups. Red HRD is available with both post-mount and flat-mount disc calipers for cleaner and sleeker mounting on more frames. Red HRD users also get two crank-axle options, GXP and BB30 (Shimano and Campagnolo do not offer BB30 cranks). For cassettes, SRAM offers both standard (up to 11-28) and wide-range (up to 11-32) options; Shimano tops out at 11-30, Campagnolo, 11-29. SRAM makes high-end rotors for both six-bolt and CenterLock hubs; Shimano and Campy are CenterLock only.

SRAM offers a Red power meter. Campagnolo does not. Red eTap HRD comes in more crank lengths than Campagnolo. The stock eTap group transmits gearing and battery info to head units, while Shimano requires an optional part to do the same. Getting down to the nitty-gritty: The wireless setup and the chain’s quick link make eTap much easier to install and remove than the Campy group. And SRAM continues to use five-arm chainring circles in the standard 110 and 130 BCDs, which opens up a wide array of aftermarket chainring options.

All this means eTap HRD can be built to work for you and your bike more easily than the other groups. It also means that if you do buy the group (or a complete bike with eTap) you’re more likely to be able to keep it for a while, and to move it onto different frames in the future.

The three top-of-the-line electronic shift and hydraulic disc-brake groups—eTap HRD, Shimano’s Dura-Ace Di2, and Campy’s Super Record EPS—are so good, I don’t think the basis for purchasing one should be shifting and braking performance alone. Instead, weigh practical details and personal preference. For me, SRAM’s eTap HRD with WiFLi comes out on top.

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